Traditionally physicians have been forced to depend upon history and other indirecy evidence to treat patients with episodic events. Rarely do they have the opportunity to observe the patients' seizures. The advent of routine interictal EEG recording was helpful and many patients with seizures are successfully treated. In the past several years, however, the use of intensive monitoring has gained rapid acceptance as the investigation of choice in intractable epilepsy. Combined video EEG recording, telemetered EEG and walk-about tape recorders have been developed which are of varying degrees of usefulness in different conditions. We have arrived at the point where the indications for such efforts should be formalized and the techniques standardized. A review of the role of intensive monitoring, evaluation of its usefulness and a discussion of cost effectiveness is needed. We propose an international conference to clarify the differences that exist within the scientific community, point the way to new ventures in clinical research and provide guidance to physicians. The conference is proposed as a satellite to the meeting of the American Epilepsy Society in November 1984 in San Francisco. Approximately 20 papers will be presented and the conference will be open to the general scientific public. The proceedings will be published as a book.